Washington DC – Today, in response to the Obama Administration amending several regulations that currently and unnecessarily limit trade and travel between the United States and Cuba, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage released the following statement.

USA*Engage Vice President Richard Sawaya said:

“We applaud the announcements made today and the Administration’s continued efforts to restore relations with Cuba and the Cuban people. By lifting restrictions in a number of areas – from allowing dollar transactions to putting in place measures to facilitate commerce, including new shipping and importation rules – the Administration is taking important steps to move the U.S.-Cuba relationship forward.”

NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin said:

“The new trade and travel rules announced today will go a long way in helping to remove unnecessary roadblocks to the flow of commerce and people between Cuba and the United States. We have long advocated for lifting the U.S. embargo, and the new rules address some of its most onerous restrictions.”

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About USA*EngageUSA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a coalition of small and large businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations working to seek alternatives to the proliferation of unilateral U.S. foreign policy sanctions and to promote the benefits of U.S. engagement abroad. Established in 1997 and organized under the National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org), USA*Engage leads a campaign to inform policymakers, opinion leaders, and the public about the counterproductive nature of unilateral sanctions, the importance of exports and overseas investment for American competitiveness and jobs, and the role of American companies in promoting human rights and democracy worldwide.

About the NFTCServing America's Global Businesses Since 1914- The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.